Proper and reliable detection of hazardous materials, such as radioactive materials, can be very important to monitor and restrict unauthorized propagation thereof. These materials often tend to emit particles, waves, and or other radiation that can be detectable. However, present detection systems are unwieldy, expensive, and increasingly harder to manufacture due to dwindling raw material availability.
One particle of interest for the detection of such materials are neutrons, such as thermal neutrons in x-rays or gamma rays, which can penetrate most materials and are not easily shielded with a modest layer of lead. The neutron detector most widely used today is the pressurized 3He (Helium-3) tube, which was designed in the 1970s. These early gas-filled tubes or vacuum tubes that were formerly used in electronic assemblies, however, were replaced long ago by modern integrated circuits. Also, the ubiquitous cathode ray tube (CRT) is being replaced by solid-state thin-film technology (such as LCDs). Modern day helium-3 tubes are still handmade and, thus, are very costly. In addition, Helium-3 is an increasingly rare material, and may possibly be unavailable in the near future.
Accordingly, a need exists to develop sensor systems and related methods capable of replacing the obsolete and expensive detection systems described above.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.
The terms “couple,” “coupled,” “couples,” “coupling,” and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements or signals, electrically, mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more electrical elements may be electrically coupled together but not be mechanically or otherwise coupled together; two or more mechanical elements may be mechanically coupled together, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled together; two or more electrical elements may be mechanically coupled together, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled together. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant.
An electrical “coupling” and the like should be broadly understood and include coupling involving any electrical signal, whether a power signal, a data signal, and/or other types or combinations of electrical signals. A mechanical “coupling” and the like should be broadly understood and include mechanical coupling of all types. The absence of the word “removably,” “removable,” and the like near the word “coupled,” and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable.